Hunter's Gambit: Redux
by Cybroid
Summary: Sometimes you need to step back. Look at things from a new perspective. Get a fresh start. But even fresh starts are a bit messy.
1. Bar Fight Déjà Vu

Redux Chapter 1: Bar Fight Déjà Vu

The hooded figure's head snapped up as he found himself dozing off in at the bar of the dimly lit tavern, mentally kicking himself for such carelessness. 'Why does it feel like I've been here before at this exact moment?' he thought to himself as he was overcome by a feeling of déjà vú. He quickly dismissed the sensation and raised a paw, "Hey bartender, another shot of baijiu!" he called out to the large heavy framed rhino cleaning a glass with a rag. The pachyderm huffed heavily and briefly eyed the four other empty shot glasses in front of the hooded man before pouring another one and sliding it his way. "Last one Yuè." he snarled disdainfully. The one called Yuè chuckled and quickly downed the alcohol, slamming the shot glass down hard and spitefully on the bar counter, nearly shattering the cup.

He looked about The Dragon's Maw, the establishment full of thieves, assassins, bounty hunters, and other unsavory types. Almost like second home to the gray furred grizzled wolf. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wanted poster for another look, the second or third one that day. But that was lowballing it from the numerous times he'd checked it before. 'WANTED: Dead or Alive,' it read, 'The Dragon Warrior: ¥75,000'

At the forefront of his mind the price for the bounty's head was of only secondary interest. He cared more for who the Dragon Warrior was and what he could do for Yué. He'd heard the tales, many he thought were fairly embellished, but impressive they all were. The only solid, or at least believable, leads Yué could find were only in places this mysterious warrior had been. The most reliable being in Gongmen City. 'A warrior of black and white' they said. And one who had felled Lord Shen and his mighty weapon harnessing the destructive power of fire and iron. He recalled the tales of his battle with Tai Lung in The Valley of Peace. How he destroyed the demented snow leopard with a mere flex of his pinky finger. The wolf chuckled softly at how impossible the stories sounded, even after telling them to himself once more. "Only an idiot would believe that." He muttered to himself before rolling up the poster and shoving it back in his pocket.

"Well, color the whole of China stupid. I heard that even the Emperor believes the tales told about this guy. The rumors about The Dragon Warrior, that is." says a patron to his right. Yué glanced over to the speaker, a fox with bright auburn fur. From a quick inspection he could see the pelt was seared and singed in a few spots. This stranger seemed to be a bit of a fire bug. He chuckled softly and sipped his drink, "I saw the poster and heard you talking to yourself. It's a bit hard not to believe rumors and tall tales as fanciful as the ones surrounding The Dragon Warrior." With a quiet sigh Yué continued to listen. "Especially considering a lot of them involve the Furious Five. A crew like that, kung fu masters and stuff, lotta legends made from that."

"And legends are just stories you tell to children. Hardly anything to rave about or make a big deal of." The wolf said pessimistically. "Besides, rumors have been exaggerated before. Walked into an entire village of 'Dragon Warriors' the other day." The fox laughed heartily and almost chocked on his drink. "A whole village? I guess some people take this guy way too seriously. They practically worship him in the Valley of Peace." Yué raised an eyebrow curiously as he listened on. "Last I was there the entire village was holding a celebration in his name."

"Did the guy ever make an appearance?" The wolf asked. "So I hear. I left early and didn't see." Yué swore under his breath and sighed softly as he stood from the barstool. "Thanks anyway for the tip." He reached out a friendly paw to the singed fox, grinning gently. The vulpine accepted graciously. "No prob. Say, I never got your name friend."

The wolf chuckled, "So you didn't, Zònghuǒ." The Fox called 'Zònghuǒ' looked at Yué dubiously and rose from his seat a bit, hackles raised as he put his guard up. "How do you know my–" Before he could finish his question the lupine struck him in the stomach with a swift and harsh punch, knocking the wind out of him and forcing bile up his throats from his belly. Before the fox could vomit from the sheer force of the strike Yué clamped his muzzle shut with a paw. "Don't." He threatened, "I don't want the bartender to get pissed because you ruined his floors. Now swallow."

Zònghuǒ did as he was commanded, the sour taste stinging his throat as he gasped heavily to get his breath back when the lupine released him. He slunk exhaustedly onto the bar countertop, Yué roughly grabbing hold to the scruff of the vulpine's neck and showing him a wanted poster, his wanted poster. "You were quite the pyro back in Kong Lang City." The wolf smirked. Zònghuǒ teared up a little as he bit back the pain in his abdomen and held back the urge to dry heave as the once amicable seeming canine spoke. "You set fire to three storefronts, four market stalls, and almost burnt down an inn. I take it you get off on this sorta thing or think it's some kinda joke?"

"Please, you don't have to take me in." Zònghuǒ panted and pleaded, "I-I'll pay you double what they're paying you!" Yué pointed to the price of five hundred yuan for the fox's capture and chuckled. "So you happen to have a thousand yuan lying around?" Crestfallen and defeated the fox looked over the wolf with frightful eyes as he prepared to be carted off to Chorh-Gom Prison. The gleam of his fangs beneath the hood of his cloak. The flash of his twin blades sheathed on his waist. Crossbow slung across his back.

Just as Yué pulled him to his feet a large and heavy hand tapped his shoulder. "Not so fast wolf," said a deep booming voice from behind, "That's my mark." The canine turned to face the stranger, a large heavily built and muscular snow leopard. He was clothed in dark blue pants with a black sash and armored with a single padded cloth shoulderguard, a steel plate riveted in place between the cloth and padding. Yué gave the feline a once over glance to size up the sizable leopard. He stood at least two heads taller than him and bore a few scars, visible burn marks, on his arms. One of most note being his paw, pink, callused, and devoid of fur.

The canine looked at him defiantly with a smirk, "Sorry but I got here first and caught him first. Mark's mine." The snow leopard growled with slow boiling rage. "I'm afraid I'll have to insist, dog. This fox has caused me quite a bit of pain and I'd like to return the favor." The snarl deepened and he stepped closer and loomed over Yué with fangs bared, "So turn. Him. Over." The wolf snarled back with his teeth bare as well, "Step off kitty. You think you scare me? I know bunnies more intimidating than you." The eyes of the entire bar were on the three. Cheers began to fill the air, all hungry for conflict. The patrons saw potential for a fight, free entertainment, and they were eager to see some action. They wanted to see blood.

('I'm Shipping Up To Boston Instrumental' by Dropkick Murphy Plays)

Slowly but surely the patrons made a semicircle around the bar. Surrounding the leopard and wolf with a wall of flesh and noise. The leopard had succumb to his feral rage and shoved Yué, pushing his back against the counter. The lupine glowered as he smirked and stood back to silently challenge him. With a quiet chuckle the wolf swiftly punched the fox, knocking him out cold, before bounding off the counter's side with a leaping punch to the snow leopard's face.

The feline stumbled back against the crowd, a tiger, pig, and antelope struggling to hold him up. He brushed his mouth off with the back of his paw and looked down at the liquid filling his mouth with the taste of copper, blood. A busted lip. He snarled and unsheathed his claws before charging at Yué, attacking with a roundhouse kick and knocking him into the other side of the crowd. A fellow wolf kept him from falling to the ground but before he could recover the leopard attacked again. He lifted the lupine by his throat and slammed him onto the countertop of the bar, running him along its length and crashing glasses into Yué's head as he braced for their impact and was thrown off and into a table. Liquor splashed and drenched the wolf and he groaned to himself as he got to his hindpaws. "Well, that could've gone better."

He gripped a shot glass in his paw and pitched it at the leopard. The feline dodged the glass, causing the cup the slam into the face of a crocodile behind him and enraged the reptile. "Hey!" shouted the croc. Beside him another patron, an armored rhino, pointed and laughed at the reptile before receiving a swift punch to the face.

The leopard was briefly distracted by the two men fighting and was punished for it. Just as he turned back to face Yué the wolf dashed towards him and struck his jaw with a jumping knee to the chin. The giant feline was felled at the moment but Yué surmised it wouldn't be that easy. He looked up briefly to see that the crowds cheering had devolved into shouting and breaking furniture.

The rhino snorted at the crocodile and swiped a chair to strike him with, right from under a boar. The wrathful porcine mistook a gorilla beside him for taking the seat and promptly headbutted him, causing his associates to get involved. The bar soon fell into chaos. An all out brawl. Shards of glass and wood flew through the air accompanied by the occasional tossed body of another patron.

The snow leopard soon began to stir once again, drawing the wolf's attention back. The feline stood tall with a snarl, fangs gleaming and claws at the ready. He grabbed a nearby barstool, swinging it at Yué. The lupine acted quickly and drew his butterfly sword, cutting off the legs of the stool before they could impact his skull. He flipped his blade into a reverse grip and slammed the crossguard into his stomach, using it as brass knuckles. Yué unsheathed the twin matching sword and slammed its crossguard into the side of the leopard's face, knocking him out cold.

The wolf sighed but wasn't afforded the chance to catch his breath before another attack was launched his way. He dodged to the side to avoid being slashed by a broken bottle wielded by a large water buffalo. Yué growled and retaliated with a leg sweep, sending the bovine to the ground with a groan. He snorted as he began to get back up but was quickly downed by a punch to the face.

The lupine sighed and looked towards where he'd left Zònghuǒ but found that the fox was nowhere to be seen. "Ah, dammit." He swore and scanned the chaotic tavern. By now a few of the armed patrons brandished their blades, the clanging of metal permeating the air as well as the raucous shouting. A bar full of drunk and sordid individuals was bad, armed drunks made it worse, and now armed drunks brawling made the building a near death trap. If he didn't find the fox quick he'd kiss that reward goodbye. He quickly knocked on the counter for the bartender hidden beneath it and toss a sack of coins onto it for his troubles, the rhino quickly grabbing the money from under the bar.

Yué rolled his eyes, dropped to all fours, and began his dash across the tavern to the exit. If there was anywhere the fox would want to go it'd have to be outside the massive brawl. The wolf leapt over a pair of rabbits beating the tar out of each other as they rolled about the floor and tossed aside a tiger coming at him with a chair. The run was going better than he had expected, barring he hadn't caught even a glimpse of the fox yet. A knife soon interrupted his train of thought as a bear swung the blade in his face. The wolf quickly side stepped the attack and grabbed the ursine's arm, twisting his wrist and forcing him to drop the weapon. Quickly, before it could hit the ground, Yué caught the knife by its handle and stabbed it into the bear's paw and pinned him to a nearby support beam. The thug screamed his head off but the lupine ignored it and continued on his way. Out the corner of his eye Yué spotted what looked to be the fox crawling under the mass of clashing bodies and iron towards the exit, just as he anticipated. "Bingo." He said to himself and changed course to the far corner of the bar.

With a split kick the wolf incapacitated a pair of sword wielding goats, landing with a roll to keep up his momentum. Yué was soon stopped in his tracks once again by a golden cat. The feline struck him in the muzzle with a jab and swept him off his paws before he could recover. The wolf growled and rolled to the side, avoiding the cat's slashing claws. He quickly got to his hindpaws and grabbed a chair beside him, whipping it around and smashing it against the feline's back.

Yué snarled as he looked around for any sign of the fox in the chaos but saw none. He made his way through the masses to the exit but was once again stopped, this time by a large crocodile standing a head and a half taller than him. He wore a hood very similar to the canine's and in the place of most of his right forearm was a metal prosthetic with sharpened claws. And in his left claw he held Zònghuo. The crocodile grinned at the wolf and nodded at the fox, "Looking for this?"

Yué sighed with relief, "About time you joined in on the fun Jian." The large reptile chuckled lowly, his voice gravelly and deep. "Well, I had to do something when you ruined my chances of getting another drink." He teased, gesturing to the riot with his metal claw, the digits and wrist clinking softly with its every move. "Totally not my fault. You saw the whole thing." Yué said defensively. Jian punched out a dhole running their way without changing his focus from the wolf in front of him. "Whatever. Let's get out of here before someone kills the bounty and I lose my cut." He smirked and opened the creaky wooden tavern door. "Yeah. Should tidy up a bit too." The wolf reached into a small satchel he kept on the small of his back and pulled out a small wooden canister with a fuse at the top, a grenade. He lit the fuse with a nearby candle and the pair of bounty hunters left the tavern before the bomb detonated, releasing small wooden pellets to bounce through the building and incapacitate the rioters. Not to mention shatter several bottles of liquor behind the bar.

When the building became quiet the bar owner peeked over the countertop and gazed at the patrons writhing in pain on the floor. The rhino sighed heavily at the mess that'd take a good while to clean up. He then turned to the bottle rack behind him and nearly fainted at the sight of the destroyed bottles. The pachyderm snorted and swore under his breath. On the bright side he could always take the funds from the passed out and knocked out patrons on his floor.

Two And A Half Days Later...

The night was soon to come to a close as Yué and Jian traveled through the mountain pass, stopping at a chasm linked from end to end by a single rope bridge. The Thread of Hope, as the bridge was called, extended for a thousand miles through the pass and was the only way to get across for one without wings.

"This is my stop," Jian said with a gentle sigh, "Beyond this point it's up to you." Yué took a long wistful look down the length of rope and wooden planks, his view obscured by light mist. "I guess it is. I can't thank you enough for your help Jian." The crocodile and wolf embraced for a moment before letting go. "Don't thank me yet. You need me again you know where I'll be." Yué nodded, "Let's just hope the intel wasn't a load of bullshit." He muttered as they parted their ways.

The wolf cautiously stepped paw on the ancient looking bridge, praying silently to the gods that it holds, and began walking.

 **Hey guys, Drac0 here! Long time no see! Super sorry about that long absence, I lost my muse for writing for a bit there. Figured this would be the best way to come back. A fresh start with a fresh start.**


	2. The Valley of Peace

Redux Chapter 2: The Valley of Peace

As Yué made his way across the rickety old bridge the light of dawn broke and illuminated the valley beyond the mountain pass. In the distance his keen ears picked up the sound of a bell ringing throughout the region. People would be up soon. He arrived at the perfect time. The wolf continued his trek down into the valley, walking over a small stone bridge and entering the slowly awakening village.

Pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, and geese all hurried about to get an early start to the day. Shop stalls and storefronts began to open. Villagers put out freshly washed laundry on the clothesline to dry in the warm midsummer morning's sun. Children broke free from the confines of their homes in search of their friends to enjoy the beautiful day out. A brisk and comforting breeze cut through the streets to carry the sweet scent of peach blossoms and mountain air.

As Yué strolled through town he couldn't help but quietly admire how pristine and charming the vista was. However he wasn't oblivious to the looks he was getting from the locals. The villagers gave him a wide berth, walking to other sides of the street to avoid the wolf. He could hear the muttering and mumbling, the 'who's that's and the 'what's he doing here's. He was fairly used to questions and comments like these made by passersby but these were different. He could hear it in their voices and could see it in the way parents pulled their children away from him. They were afraid. No, terrified.

For a valley as famed as this for its peace the locals were awfully skittish. Yué could easily chalk that up to how well armed he was. Or how he was an outsider. Or even the obvious case that he was a wolf in a village full of grazers, as he would call them.

Chances were slim at best that someone could get over their nerves long enough to give him any solid leads on The Dragon Warrior. He'd have to make the best of those odds. However before he could make a move to ask anyone anything his stomach gurgled almost angrily. It'd been a solid few days since the wolf had anything remotely decent or filling to eat. The smell of fruit and occasional scenes of street vendors serving food drifting on the wind only made things worse. Perhaps one of the locals would be able to assist him, if they weren't too petrified by fear.

Yué stopped by a vender selling small carved wooden figures of kung fu icons. The gray skinned pig smiled brightly but soon became petrified and his grin was replaced by utter terror when the wolf approached. The canine scanned the small stall's products and looked over the shopkeeper carefully. The craftsmanship for the figures was something to behold. The edges smooth and fine grained, the joints easily posable for small paws or hooves. He closely looked over the Crane figure and smiled softly before setting it back down. Yué cleared his throat and spoke. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know a good place to score some grub would you? Been traveling for a while and I could really use it." The porcine vendor shivered uncontrollably and his words came out stammered and stuttered. "Th-th-there's a nnnnoodle shop not far from here. A b-b-block away" The wolf smiled brightly and nodded. "Gotcha. Thanks." The pig nearly fainted after the canine took his leave, feeling as though he just narrowly dodged a premature end. He couldn't help but think of the poor goose that was ignorant of the wolf headed his way.

Yué made his way to where the pig said the noodle shop would be and sure enough there it was. The shop was packed away in a small alleyway with a round doorway was just large enough for a rhino or water buffalo to pass through without having to duck down. The doorway was decorated with two posters, one beside the single window for the shop depicting a fierce looking panda warrior. The other, opposite of the former, of seemingly the same panda serving a bowl of noodles with a small goose. The wolf chuckled softly at the odd looking pictures and shifted his focus to the sign above the door. Despite how humble the restaurant looked the sign was quite extravagant. It was made of a fine wood colored red and gold with carvings of dragons on both ends and a bowl of noodles between them. 'Dragon Warrior Noodles & Tofu' read the sign. Yué groaned inwardly as he went inside. "Please don't tell me this guy is just a chef. Or worse, a restaurant." he muttered to himself.

The restaurant was loud and bustling. People conversed and laughed heartily as they all bonded over the delicious smelling and looking food. Just about everything from noodles to dumplings were being served and quickly devoured as well. The wolf quietly scanned the restaurant as he walked to an open table near the middle left, stepping carefully past and over small children running about. The walls were decorated in more images of the heroic looking panda. All in dynamic battle poses and stances that made him appear stoic and courageous as well as powerful. That panda couldn't be the famed Dragon Warrior. Could he?

As Yué quietly mused about the pictures and posters the restaurant began to quiet down, falling into near dead silence. Not even the sound of eating or chopsticks noisily picking at glassware could be heard. He stood beside his chosen table and looked around to see what brought about the silence. All eyes were on the singular wolf in the room. There was his answer. The canine chuckled, "Oh, please. Don't mind me at all everyone. You can go back to eating." He took his seat and could hear whispers pass about the restaurant. The people, unsurprisingly, whispered and spoke in hushed voices about him. A few people noticeably shivered and a few other either quickly left or quietly payed and rushed out of the restaurant.

Yué rolled his eyes and sighed softly before opening up the menu to look through it. The pamphlet offered up a number of appetizingly illustrated dishes, all themed based on the Dragon Warrior himself. He looked up from the pamphlet briefly and took notice of the goose standing beside his table at arms length. The waterfowl was dressed in a simple looking red robe with light yellow lining, and a gold-colored belt with wave designs on it and donned a funny little hat that looked like a bowl of noodles with chopstick. He appeared to be shivering but ever so slightly, nearly unnoticeably as he tried to hide his fear and anxiousness from the wolf.

"W-welcome to Dragon W-warrior Noodles and Tofu." He stuttered, "I am Ping. What can I-I get ffor you?" Yué gave the menu another once over to see if anything caught his eye, despite him wanting to try everything. However only dish stood out from every other: Secret Ingredient Soup. The name alone was more than enticing considering the undertones of mystique surrounding it. Accompanied by the picture made it nearly irresistible. "I'll give this secret ingredient soup a try. Surprise my tastebuds." He smiled confidently and handed the menu to the goose. "V-very good choice sir. I'll be riight back with your order." Mr. Ping hurried back to the kitchen, waddling as fast as his feet could take him.

Yué chuckled softly at the nervous avian and looked into the kitchen across the courtyard restaurant, watching as the chef cooked up a storm. 'Not quite a warrior of black and white like the poster said,' he thought, 'Should probably keep my expectations tempered.' The wolf looked around at the stunning posters as his nose was filled with the aroma of cooking soups and tofu. Perhaps a panda was the Dragon Warrior. Why else would the restaurant owner have so many displays of pandas? Unless he had a strange fixation on the bears, in which case he would be a very odd goose. A moment later his attention was drawn by the strong and delectable scene of food and the sound of a clinking dish. The soup shone as if it were made of solid gold, which he would probably think as much had noodles not been floating in the broth. "Here you go sir. One b-bowl of Secret Ingredient Ssoup." Mr. Ping smiled wryly at Yué as he presented the meal to which the wolf smiled back. "Thank you." He nodded politely.

He took chopsticks in paw and brought the noodles to his muzzle, slurping up several strands. The flavor burst in his mouth like exploding fireworks. Never before had the wolf tasted something like this, but he managed to keep a straight face and his composure before looking at Mr. Ping. He nodded as he chewed and swallowed before dropping said composure and lifting the bowl to his maw, gulping down amazing soup, broth and all. Yué sighed satisfactorily and set the empty bowl down while licking his chops, laughing heartily. "That has got to be the best tasting thing I've had in years!" He smiled brightly at the goose, "You, my good sir, are an amazing chef." The wolf praised, bowing his head with his fist in the palm of his paw respectfully. Mr. Ping chuckled and bowed back, "Oh, thank you very much. It was nothing." He said humbly. Yué scoffed in disbelief, "Sure it wasn't." He pulled several coins from his pocket to pay for the meal, unknowingly dropping a small slip of paper. Mr. Ping noticed the scrap Fall and picked it up for the wolf, getting a look at a small painting of a very young wolf pup. Her fur was as white as freshly fallen snow and she smiled brightly.

The goose handed the picture over to Yué, the wolf's smile twisting into a somber grin. "I'm so sorry for prying. Is she yours?" He asked. The canine nodded. "Yeah. My pride and joy this one. Her name is Zhang Li." He brushed his thumb over the small joyful face. Mr. Ping scooped up the coins into his wing, "Is she..." he trailed off as to not upset the wolf. Yué looked up from the picture and shook his head. "No no, not at all. It's just... I haven't seen her in a while. Work has me traveling a lot."

"I know how that can be." Mr. Ping nodded, "My son goes away from time to time and it can be very worrisome." Yué leant his sympathetic ear to hear the fellow father out. Mr. Ping sighed wistfully as he recalled his son's journeys and his own worries. "Sometimes I don't even know if he'll come back home! But China needs him and it is his duty." The wolf raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Wait, what do you mean it's his duty?" Mr. Ping gestured to the posters on the walls, "Why he's a Kung Fu Master! The Dragon Warrior! And I am very proud of my Po." Yué was stunned but soon pieced it all together in his head. The wanted poster's description, the restaurant and the posters, it all seemed almost too obvious now.

"Really now? Because, funnily enough, he's why I'm here now." Yué said with a soft smile. "I had just finished a job a few villages over and my daughter's a huge fan of the Dragon Warrior. I was hoping to get an autograph from him and I have no clue where he is." Mr. Ping eyed the wolf dubiously. He took note of how well armed he was, his grizzled and unkempt fur, his oddly colored eyes, the left a shimmering gold and the right a brilliant jade green. However the picture of the young wolf pup and her father's story appealed most to his more compassionate side. Ping smiled back at the canine. "Well, these days he spends most of his time at the Jade Palace. On the northern side of town, up the mountain. You can't miss it." Yué quickly stood and bowed graciously to the goose, "On the behalf of my daughter and myself, I thank you sir."

"No need to thank me. You go get your little girl that autograph." Mr. Ping smiled brightly and shooed the wolf. Yué nodded and hurried out of the restaurant to many of the patrons delight. The goose hummed happily to himself and waddled back to the kitchen to cook for more customers passing through.

Yué roamed the streets of the northern end of the village until he came to the foot of the mountain Mr. Ping told him about. A long winding set of imposing stairs lined a path directly to the top. He could just make out the structure known as the Jade Palace. He dropped down to all fours and began to scale the staircase, sprinting as fast as he could. The wolf's goal was so close and motivated and propelled him up the mountain. The village below shrunk as it became more distance the higher he went.

The wolf soon came to a pair of red wooden doors below a blue tiled archway. Yué stopped short of the entrance and pulled his crossbow from his back and pulled back the drawstring before loading a bolt. He cleared his mind with a few short breaths as he prepared to meet the Dragon Warrior beyond the great doors. "Ready or not, here I come." He muttered quietly before bursting through the doors. He rolled into a crouching position and aimed his weapon at the first person he saw, which happened to be a goose with a broom. He was dressed in a yellow robe with a green belt and a small hat to match the ensemble. He was also quite visibly shaken by the intruder and let out a surprised honk. "Oh... Hi." Yué smiled politely and waved before beginning to scan the area. He appeared to be in some sort of arena. The space was a large stone square surrounded by blue roofed buildings and was completely deserted, save for the goose.

The wolf lowered his crossbow, "Say, you wouldn't happen to know where the Dragon Warrior is would you?" He asked, "Big panda, legendary fighter." He turned towards where the avian was sweeping only to find a few fallen feathers with no one to accompany them. He groaned to himself and looked around, finding another set of stairs leading higher and to a much large building. "Figures." Yué put the crossbow on his back and began to trudge up the steps, annoyed by his failed first attempt to surprise the legendary warrior. He approached the large structure and silently marveled at it for a moment. The roof tiles were a magnificent jade color and the roof itself was supported with brilliantly decorated pillars that were red with golden dragons spiraling down them. The entrance itself was an even larger set of doors, this time jade in color and ornately decorated. He readied his crossbow once again and growled quietly to himself, "Let's try this again."

The wolf burst through the doors with a tactical roll into a crouch and was met with six warriors on the other side of the great hall, all very much prepared for his arrival. The first one to catch his eye was a small elderly red panda dressed in reddish-burgundy robes with a jade green shawl and wielding a forked staff. Next was a female tiger, a crane in blue pants with a purple sash and a paddy hat, a monkey, and a viper. Lastly was the panda, largest of the group and his main target. However the bear looked a bit underwhelming, dressed a pair of patched-up burlap shorts with Shaolin wraps around ankles. Nothing like the fierce warrior on the posters. He was a bit too... plush and cuddly looking.

The standoff between the canine and the Jade Palace warriors was tense, not a word was spoken since he burst into the building. The burning stares from the legendary fighters, the most fierce coming from the tigress as well as a low growl as she bared her fangs.

Yué dared to test the panda to see if he was who his supposed father said he was. He pulled the trigger on the crossbow and let the bolt loose, aimed directly at the ursine's forehead. The tiger beside him reacted lightning fast, deflecting the shot and redirecting it to the wolf. Yué caught the crossbow bolt just before it could pierce the bright gold of his left eye and loaded it back in the weapon, aiming it again.

He couldn't help but let out a sigh that soon turned into a hearty laugh, or one of insanity to the opposing party. "Damn you're good! Almost took out my eye!" he choked out and lowered his weapon, "I was kinda hoping the panda would do something like that but you take what you're given I guess." The elder of the group spoke first, "What business do you have here?" the red panda asked authoritatively. The laughing ceased but the smirk on his face persisted. "I'm just here to see if the Dragon Warrior's the real deal. So far, pretty underwhelming. Judging by who your kin is I didn't expect someone so... pillowy." Yué gestured to the panda's physique with a chuckle. "So, I have no beef with you, Masters Tigress, Crane, Monkey, Viper, and Shifu." He said counting off the masters. "I am surprised to see the Furious Five without the fifth master though. Where's Mantis?"

"Right here furball!" called out a voice. Yué squinted and spotted Master Mantis perched on Monkey's shoulder, scowling at the canine. "Right. My bad." he chuckled and slung his crossbow onto his back, drawing his dual butterfly swords in its place. "If you oppose him then you stand against us all." Tigress snarled. "Pardon me for assuming but are you hard of hearing? I'm only here for the panda. I just wanna see if he's the real deal." he said scraping the blades against each other, "Now, if you want to get involved be my guest sweetheart. But I'm not afraid to leave here with a bit of blood on my paws. So, if you would be so kind?"

The panda looked at his comrades with concern. He was more than confident in their abilities but they've underestimated opponents like the wolf before and paid for it. Visions of the aftermath of their encounter with Tai Lung flashed in his head before he stepped forward. "It's okay guys," he said cautiously, "I'll take care of this." Crane caught his shoulder with his wing, "Are you sure Po?" he asked, eyeing the wolf across the room. "Yeah. I can take this guy." Po said with a confident smiled and kept walking, meeting Yué halfway. The masters stood down but kept themselves tense, ready to jump in and assist the Dragon Warrior should he need them.

"There we go, Po was it?" The lupine taunted cockily. Deep down he was brimming with nerves, both anxious and overjoyed to find the panda. "Let's see if you're really the guy I'm looking for." He flipped his blade in a reverse grip and crouched into a ready stance. The black and white ursine readied himself as well for combat. "Get ready to feel the thunder."

The two began to slowly circle one another. Yué's blades and fangs gleaming past his wide smile in the light pouring through the windows of the great hall. Po, the Dragon Warrior, watched the wolf stoically, searching for a weakness, a chink in his defenses. The canine crouched lower onto all fours much to the confusion of the panda and his cohorts, his closed fists being held up with the crossguards of his swords.

He lunged at the Dragon Warrior and struck him with a crossguard in the side, the attack seemingly having little effect as the panda flinched back. Po reeled a bit from the attack and retaliated with a back kick, pushing Yué away. The canine snarled quietly and dashed at the bear once again, attacking with swipe after swipe of his blades, not aiming with the edge but with his fists. The panda dodged and deflected each swipe before countering with a jab to the wolf's face, dazing him for a moment. He growled and attacked again with a left hook only to have the Dragon Warrior kick his paw away, knocking the sword from it. He followed up with a roundhouse kick to his other paw, sending the blade skittering across the floor.

Yué backflipped away from Po to reorient himself and stood. He stood and laughed. "Well, you're pretty okay so far. But I was just going easy on you." He smirked and lunged for the panda again, bounding off the side of a jade pillar and coming down on him with a falling punch. The Dragon Warrior blocked the attack but before he could strike back the wolf quickstepped to the side away from his reach. "Hey!" Po shouted and charged Yué, but the lupine leapt over the bear and dropkicked him in the back. The large panda toppled over and the smaller wolf landed with a tactical roll and a smirk. The ursine looked back at him and scowled, quickly getting back up and charging the canine once again. He soon closed the distance between them and attack Yué with a spinning back kick. The wolf had just blocked the strike but was still pushed back by the impact, nearly knocking him off balance and wiping the smirk clean off his muzzle. He grimaced and dodged a punch but wasn't fast enough to avoid a bicycle kick to the chest, pushing him against a pillar.

Yué pushed himself off of the column rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck with a growl. It was Po's turn to grin confidently at the wolf, "That was me taking it easy on you." The lupine smiled brightly back and clapped, "Alright! Now it's a fight." He laughed before charging the panda once again. The canine slid under and past the ursine and hopped onto his back, raining down punches aimed at his head and face. A couple managed to hit their mark, punctuated by Po's pained groans and 'ow's, but he was soon thrown off and into the cold unforgiving marble floor. "Ouch." Yué gasped out quietly as the wind was briefly knocked out of his lungs. He quickly rolled away to the side to catch his breath for a moment.

"Give up?" The Dragon Warrior smirked. "Not a chance." Yué snarled, dashing with claws at the ready. The panda grinned and readied himself, tightening his stance and sucking his belly in. When the wolf got within his range Po decided to finish the fight, striking the lupine with his gut in spectacular fashion. Yué was thrown back into a pillar with a sickening thud, falling limply to the ground.

"Yeah!" Po cheered with his paws in the air, bouncing on his heels, "Didn't expect that did ya?!" The wolf was motionless and breathed shallowly in his incapacitated state.

Master Shifu and the others cautiously approached the panda and wolf, watching the lupine very carefully in case he was playing possum. "Who is this guy?" Mantis thought aloud. "Doesn't matter," Tigress said coldly, "If he knows better he'd leave and never threaten us again." Yué soon regained consciousness with a deep gasp and a wheezing cough. The warriors all took a ready stance as he picked himself up, prepared to face the canine should he oppose them once again. He shakily got to his hind paws with a wry smile and more coughing. He held onto his side and chuckled softly, "Alrighty then. You're definitely my guy panda." He stood up straight and laughed more, visibly wincing with every breath.

"Your test is over, wolf. Leave now." Shifu commanded. Yué shook his head and looked to his left arm curiously. It had fallen numb and was hidden away under his cloak. As he moved the covering and chuckled again though the masters flinched away in disgust, Crane nearly losing his lunch on the floor and ducking his head under his wing. The wolf's arm had been dislocated and hung lifelessly and at an angle out of place from his shoulder. He shrugged with his one working shoulder, "I'll get to that soon enough. As for you Dragon Warrior," He turned back to Po, "I'm in need of your help." Reluctantly the masters all looked back at him, averting their gaze from his arm. "You attack us and just expect help?" Viper asked incredulously. "I didn't attack you, I attacked the panda," Yué clarified covering his arm with his cloak, "And I'm asking for his help. Only his."

"Why do you want my help?" Po asked curiously. The wolf sighed softly, having practiced this speech in anticipation for this meeting a hundred times. "My daughter is missing. She was kidnapped. Last I saw her was five months ago, six in a few weeks." He fished her picture out of his pocket and showed the bear. "Her name is Zhang Li and I believe you're the only one that can help me find her." The panda hesitantly took the picture and looked it over, the other masters inspecting it, and Yué, as well. "I don't buy it." Monkey said dismissively, "She doesn't even look like him!"

"But what if he's telling the truth?" Viper tried to rationalize, "We should at least hear him out." Tigress shook her head, "We don't even know him. I agree with Monkey, this could be a trap." Master Shifu stroked his mustache as he thought on the situation. "Then we shall find out who he is."

They all turned back to face the wolf, Shifu speaking up first. "We've come to a–" The grandmaster was interrupted by a sharp clang, the wolf falling face first onto the floor. Behind him stood Zeng with a large newly dented pan in his wings and an unconscious canine at his feet. "That was a close one, eh guys?" He smiled wryly at the surprised masters, the grin soon falling into a look of uncertainty. "Zeng! What'd you do that for?!" Po asked incredulously. "H-he was attacking you. R-right?" The goose stuttered and gulped nervously. "Yes! I mean, no! I mean, he was but he stopped so... kinda?" Po said, confused about the situation.

Shifu sighed exasperatedly and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing away a slow approaching headache. "Tigress, Monkey, take the wolf to Mantis's room. We need to treat his injuries." The two hesitated for a moment to register what their master wanted them complied, carefully picking up Yué. "We'll keep him here until we find out just what he's up to. He will under very close watch until then." All but Zeng, Tigress and Monkey bowed with a chorus of 'Yes, Master' as the lupine was carried off to the student barracks. Po looked down at the picture of the wolf pup. If it was a fake, it was very convincing. But a part of the panda believed him, or at least felt he should.


	3. A Little TLC

The sun had set and the moon rose since the Jade Palace Masters' confrontation with Yué. The wolf had slowly began to come to and his senses were flooded by both familiar and unfamiliar sensations. The first he felt was how dry his mouth felt. His tongue was overwhelmed by a fuzzy sensation, as if he'd tried to swallow a hairball and it didn't want to go down. He tried to flex the fingers on his paws, the right paw twitching successfully but his left straining with a dull throbbing pain. The canine growled and tried to move, though his side strongly disagreed with his choice.

Yué yelped sharply at the pain, wrenching his eyes open to survey his surroundings. That's when things became less familiar. He was in a rather spacious and nearly empty room, lying on a bed just large enough to accommodate him. He slowly began to sit up, careful not to aggravate his condition more than necessary. His abdomen was bandaged up firmly, his arm in a sling, and he felt a sharp prick on his back. Yué winced at the pain as another prick was felt again.

"You should really stay still." A small voice recommended, "Acupuncture is crazy dangerous for fidgeters." Master Mantis stood on the wolf's shoulder with a smug grin, his arms full with needles larger than himself. The lupine let out a groggy groan and felt an aching in his head which was also bandaged. "Where am I?" He asked. "My room. And to be honest, I'm not thrilled about it." Mantis replied, jabbing another needle into Yué. He hissed and growled at the bug. "A little warning would be nice." He chided before feeling his side, flinching a bit at how tender his ribs felt. "How bad off am I?" He asked, looking to his shoulder only to find Mantis missing. "Well, your ribs are cracked, you have a mild concussion, your arm was dislocated," the mantid named off the wolf's injuries, giving his right bicep a solid thump and making him hiss in pain, "And judging by how tender your muscles are you may have a bit of damage to your tendons."

Yué chuckled dryly, "I've had worse." He wasn't exaggerating as Mantis well knew. The wolf's body was covered with scars ranging in size. The largest and most notable was a large gash in his abdomen, just beneath the bandages, that was mirrored on his back. Both the entry and exit of a past injury that would've killed most. Yué shifted a bit and just then realized the state of undress he was in. His torso was bare, that he took note of immediately, but he found himself also lacking pants. His mind was briefly thrown into a state of shock, realizing that the picture of his daughter was missing before quickly calming himself with the realization that the Dragon Warrior had it. He felt another especially painful prick in his lame arm's bicep, looking to Mantis who had quickly traveled the expanse of his body. "You should wear a bell, you know. A really tiny bell." He said with a glare. "And where are my pants?" The diminutive master sighed exasperatedly, "I had to see just how bad off you were. Lucky for you it was all upper torso injuries."

Yué thought for a moment about what happened while he was out cold, or rather what he could gather from it before groaning. Mantis rolled his eyes, "Trust me buddy, I didn't take any joy in doing it either." The mantid hopped off the wolf and went across the room for more acupuncture needles. "How did you even – you know what? Never mind." The wolf shakily rose from the bed with a quiet whine, stumbling a little and holding his side before gaining his footing. Mantis quickly turned to face the canine but covered his eyes at the sight of the disrobed wolf, "You really should stay in that bed. And I'm not just saying that because you're naked." Yué chuckled softly and picked up a pair of pants lying on the floor, careful not to worsen his condition, "Not like you'll see anything you haven't before."

He limped out of the room into the barracks hallway, the dorms all dark save for an illuminated doorway down the corridor. Yué turned his ears towards the light and moved closer, the sound of clinking dishes and hushed voices becoming louder as well as the smell of food. He held his paw to the wall to keep himself stable as the sound became more intelligible.

"– Shifu crazy?" Asked one voice. They sounded worried and concerned, "He could've killed you!" Another voice picked up from there, "But he didn't. Besides, he kinda had a good reason." A slurping sound was heard. "Right. His 'daughter.'" Someone clearly didn't believe Yué's claim. "I for one don't buy it. He probably ripped the picture off some painting somewhere." A more gentle sounding voice spoke up, "I don't think so. You saw how he acted when he told us about her." The wolf smirked softly and limped into the dining room, the conversation dropping just as Tigress was about to speak.

He plopped down in a seat with a grunt and sigh, looking around the table at the warriors before him. For legends known across the land they didn't look like much, however deceiving their appearances are. He smiled warmly and leaned back in the chair comfortably, "It's impolite to talk about people behind their backs you know." Yué said. He let out a soft chuckle, "I don't expect you to apologize though, nor would I want to. I'd do the same to be completely honest." Tigress chuffed at him disdainfully. "Speaking of honesty," Monkey spoke up, "Who are you?" The wolf laughed, "It's about time. Here you guys are whispering and plotting instead of getting to the damn point." He reached across the table to a small cup and pot of tea, pouring himself a drink and taking a sip. "My name is Yué. And I do believe the Dragon Warrior has something of mine in his possession." He looked over to Po expectantly. The panda looked back confused before realizing what he meant, taking the picture of his daughter from his pocket and giving it to the canine. He was thanked with a nod.

"So, how old was she?" Crane asked. Yué shot a glare his way before the leer melted away into a glint of shame and apology. "Is. She's eight." He quickly looked about the table at the stares, most of dubious nature. The wolf grinned, "You guys don't believe me do you?" His glanced at Tigress, "Especially you, kitten." She growled and bared her fangs at Yué. "As a matter of fact, not for a moment. For all we know you could be trying to kill us." Po cut into the moment, setting a bowl of soup in front of the wolf. "Thought you'd maybe like something to eat." He smiled. Yué chuckled softly, "Why thank you Po, if I may call you that." He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began to eat. "Well, seems your father taught you a thing or two Dragon Warrior." Po's smile dropped a little and became frayed, "You know my dad?" Yué nodded, "Nice guy. Told me where you were." He took another bite of food. "And as for you, Tigress, you're right. I could be planning to kill you as we speak. But, if I were an assassin why would I approach you guys directly?"

The feline couldn't fault his logic and only scowled before calmly storming off, her eyes following him as she disappeared into her room. He chuckled softly at the flustered tiger and suddenly remembered the acupuncture needles in him, setting down his chopsticks and pulling them out. "How long will you be here?" Viper asked. "Trying to be rid of me so soon?" Yué jested, "I'll hit the road as soon as I can. Just need the Dragon Warrior to come with." He looked to a dumbfounded Po with a friendly smile.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stay a while longer than that." Said a voice from behind. Yué looked back and down to Master Shifu and Mantis flanking him, flashing them a grin. "Is that so?" He asked. "Your injuries will need time to mend and that will take two weeks at the very least, according to Master Mantis." The elder stated. The wolf's ears dropped and so too did his smirk, "Yeah, that's a hard pass for me on that. I need to leave as soon as possible." He shakily stood, using his chair for leverage. "In your current state I can't allow you to leave, in good conscience." Shifu insisted. Yué scoffed and gestured at himself, "This isn't anything big. I've had worse. Mantis saw." Master Mantis shuddered and visibly recoiled. The grandmaster sighed exasperatedly, "Be that as it may, I don't believe the Dragon Warrior made his decision on whether he'd go with you or not. Correct?" The canine looked back at Po, the panda flashing a nervous smile, before looking back down at the red panda with a growl. "He hasn't. Yet." Master Shifu smirked, "Then until he does you will stay until your injuries heal." He quickly turned to leave the barracks, "Viper will show you to your quarters." He said as he left the dormitories, Mantis hopping off to his room.

Yué's claws angrily dug into his chair as he watched the elder master leave, fangs bared and ears splayed against his skull with seething rage. Master Viper cautiously approached the canine and hesitantly tapped his leg, "If you're ready I can take you to your room." The canine sighed softly and let go of the chair, "Yeah. Lead the way." He said before turning to Po with a glare, "I await your choice, panda."

Viper led Yué down the corridor, watching him carefully should he decide to lose his cool. The wolf slowly simmered down from his anger, leaving behind hints of regret. "You can calm down you know." He said abruptly, startling Master Viper. "Not like I'm gonna attack someone again." They soon stopped at the end of the hall in front of an empty room. "Here's where you'll be staying." She stated, pushing open the doors to the dorm. The interior was spacious and nearly completely bare. Inside sat a single bed, just large enough for one person, and a candle for light. The wolf looked about the bare room, fairly unimpressed with it. 'Could it be any more empty?' He thought stepping inside.

"The morning bell rings at dawn." Viper announced courteously, "Just so you know." Yué nodded and sat down on the bed, "Thanks." She nodded and slithered off to her quarters. The wolf laid down with a grunt and a sigh, "Could've chosen a worse spot to stay but this'll do." He took out the picture of his daughter and gave it a melancholic look, pressing it to his chest as he nodded off.

In The Hall of Heroes...

Master Shifu sat by the edge of the Moon Pool in deep meditation as Zeng approached. His steps were tentative and hesitant, his body quaked nervously. "Um... Master Shifu? You called for me?" He asked. "I have an important task for you Zeng." He stood and turned to the gander, his shaking only becoming worse. "I need you to find out all that you can about this wolf, Yué. We need to know just who we're dealing with. You have a two week head start." Zeng bowed, "Yes master." The fowl turned to leave reluctantly and took to wing. Shifu turned back to the tranquil waters and continued meditating, thinking on the potential threat he allowed to stay in the palace and how best to deal with him if necessary.


End file.
